The Greatest Showman: First Trailer Rated; Coming Soon

The first trailer for P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman has been rated and is expected to drop online in the next couple of weeks. The movie stars recently retired Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, as Barnum and features an A-list supporting cast that includes the likes of Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya. Directing the feature will be Michael Gracey (who was recently attached to the live-action Naruto adaptation) and the screenplay comes from Michael Arndt, Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon.

The movie arrives in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day and is a musical exploring the life of famous circus founder and forefather of show business, P.T. Barnum. Images from the production were recently released, depicting Jackman in full swing and it’s clear that The Greatest Showman will be a colorful and bombastic affair rather than the potentially stuffy and historical period piece that many felt such a biopic may end up being.

Happily, fans can expect an even closer look at The Greatest Showman very soon. According to TrailerTrack, the movie’s first trailer has been rated by the BBFC and is expected to see a release in the coming weeks. The clip clocks in at two minutes, eighteen seconds and, unsurprisingly, has been passed uncut.

It is expected that the trailer will be ready in time for release alongside 20th Century Fox’s upcoming blockbuster, War For The Planet Of The Apes. Whether cinema-goers settling down to see a slick slice of monkey vs. human action will be interested in seeing a glam showbiz musical biopic on Christmas afternoon remains to be seen but it’s clear that Fox are plumping for a broad target audience, with comments from Jackman suggesting both adults and kids will be catered for.

In terms of musical pedigree, The Greatest Showman is certainly not lacking. Hugh Jackman famously starred in Les Miserables, Zac Efron was the male lead in the High School Musical franchise and Michelle Williams has plenty of experience on Broadway. Behind the camera, the score is being written by the Oscar-winning duo who helped make La La Land such a huge success, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

With that said, big screen musicals are definitely an acquired taste and musical biopics arguably even more so. Although The Greatest Showman may be intended as a film the whole family can enjoy, getting the whole family to buy a ticket in the first place will be the forthcoming trailer’s biggest challenge. Especially as Star Wars: The Last Jedi is released only ten days before.